I. Field of Invention
This invention pertains to the art of sporting balls thrown or rolled by hand, and more particularly to bowling balls having weights situated along the spin axis of the ball.
II. Description of Related Art
Many games and sports popularly enjoyed by enthusiasts require the use of a hand-held ball which is rolled or thrown. Among these games is that of bowling. The bowling ball which is in popular use in the United States must meet rigid standards promulgated by the American Bowling Congress. Among these standards is the requirement that the weight of the bowling ball must not exceed sixteen pounds and the weight of the ball must not differ more than one ounce from side to side and more than three ounces from top to bottom. Further, the outside diameter of the bowling ball must be between 8.550 and 8.590 inches.
Bowling balls are commonly drilled to provide grips for the bowler. When the ball is drilled, material is removed from the ball. This can create an unbalanced condition which can be detrimental to the ball's performance. On the other hand, to some skilled bowlers, a slight imbalance can be advantageous, modifying the trajectory of the ball down the bowling alley or in the manner in which it impacts the pins.
It is a general object of this invention to provide a bowling ball which includes weights on the spin axis of the bowling ball and which have certain properties and positions relative to the center of the ball so that the stability of the ball as it spins down the lane is improved.